Wednesday, 25 January 2017

How Much Water is Actually Good For Your Health?

If you are a living, breathing human being, you are losing water from your body right this second. No matter how good you think you smell, perspiration is currently regulating your body temperature. The saliva in your mouth is mostly water. The urine in your bladder is, too. Even the air you’re exhaling is filled with your body’s precious water supply.

And if you are a living, breathing human who is currently looking at the Internet (and you are), chances are that you’ve have been told repeatedly that if you do not find a way to put 8 eight-ounce glasses of water into your body each day, you will shrivel and dehydrate until you are nothing more than a sad piece of boot leather, parched and gasping for a sweet drop of tap water.

You’re Always Losing WaterThe average adult loses two to three liters of water a day through natural bodily functions, which is why it’s so important to replace that missing water by ingesting two to three liters of fluid a day.

Even Breathing Causes Water LossWhen you inhale, air moving through your passageways (trachea and bronchi) becomes humidified, so that the air you exhale is full of moisture. That’s why you can “see” your breath on a cold day.

Water Requirements Depend on Gender and SizeDr. Travis Kidner, surgical oncologist at the Rox Cancer Center in Beverley Hills, recommends that an average healthy woman living in a temperate climate drink 2.2 liters of water a day and a man in the same conditions drink 3.

Water Requirements Depend on Gender and SizeDr. Travis Kidner, surgical oncologist at the Rox Cancer Center in Beverley Hills, recommends that an average healthy woman living in a temperate climate drink 2.2 liters of water a day and a man in the same conditions drink 3.

8x8 is Just a GuidelineDr. Kidner stresses the fact that the 8x8 rules means at least eight eight-ounce glasses of liquid a day. There are many factors that could cause a person to require more than the standard amount.

Up Your Intake If You ExerciseIf you exercise a little (think twenty minutes on the elliptical), an extra two cups should be enough, but if you’re marathoning it, you really need to double your intake and consider sports drinks to replace the sodium lost through perspiration. Summertime Sucks Up MoistureYou lose more water than average during the summer because no matter what deodorant you use, your sweat glands are in overdrive to regulate body temperature. So adjust your water intake accordingly.

Your Heater is Turning You into Human JerkyThat radiator is not only drying water from the air, it’s drying out your insides. Keep your heater on the lowest setting comfortable and drink more water to avoid dehydration, cracked skin, and dried-out mucus membranes.Do You Feel Thirsty? You’re Not Drinking EnoughListen to your body. If you don’t feel thirsty and your urine is light or colorless, you’re probably doing it right. However, if the opposite is true, drink something!Are You Dehydrated? Pinch Your Hand To Tell.Dr. Kidner recommends a simple test to check your hydration level. Pinch the back of your hand. Healthy, hydrated skin snaps back into place, but if you’re dehydrated, the skin is slow to return to normal.Don’t Overdo ItIt is possible to drink too much water. Hyponatremia is a condition in which water dilutes the blood, resulting in low sodium levels. Long-distance runners and athletes are often at risk, so if you’ve got an intense endurance exercise planned, make sure you replace some of your water with sports drinks to maintain balance.